MIKE TYMCHYSHYN- PLAYER

Mike with his brother Bill, started playing pick up lacrosse when he was eleven years old in 1945 at the Kelvin Community Centre under the tutelage of Al and Doug Smallwood.  During his two years of playing pick up lacrosse, Mike found his position- goal tender. In 1947, Mike played his only year of minor lacrosse, winning the Bantam B Championship. After the one year of minor lacrosse there was no team in his age group in Elmwood. Wanting to play the game, he showed up at Kelvin CC, waiting for a Senior team that needed goalie for the night. For two years, Mike played for all four senior team (Argonaughts, Wellingtons, Winnipegs, and Shamrocks (later know as the Drewerys) that were operating in the early ‘50’s. Playing for all four teams over two years, his development did not go unnoticed as Eddie O’Dowda asked Tymchysyn to join the Elmwood team.

In 1951, Les Swaffer, the coach of the Manitoba Junior All star, asked Mike to backup the four time Minto Cup player Clarke Hicks. In a rough three game series against the BC All Star, Manitoba captured the Western Canadian Junior Championship. In the series Hicks was outstanding out dueling the BC goaltender, leaving no opportunity for Mike to play. This changed in Brampton at the Minto Cup Final. In the first game of the series, Hicks was hit in the face and Mike was called into action. Playing two periods, Tymchysyn held the Brampton Excelsiors to ten goals. That was the only action he saw in ’51 Minto Cup. Manitoba lost the Cup in three games.

In 1952, Mike was passed over, as coach, Eric Abbott, decided to go with a duo of older goaltenders.

In 1954, All Star coach, Johnny Arondus called upon Mike to carry the load in goal for the Manitoba All Stars in Minto Cup Competition. In the first game of Minot Cup series against the Long Branch Monarchs, stout goal tending by Mike Tymychysn and strong defence allowed Manitoba to close out the greatest victory in Manitoba lacrosse history. For the first time in Minto Cup history, a team from Manitoba beat the Ontario representative in Minto Cup play downs. In the second game of the series, Long Branch’s goalie, Porky Russell, out duelled Tychysn, who had to face 12 Long Branch power plays. The third game was also a goaltending duel, but sterling performance by “Little Mike” (Wpg. Free Press) made the difference in the game giving Manitoba the Eastern Canadian Championship. Manitoba went on the play BC champions, The PNE Indians, losing in three straight games. Winnipeg Free Press summarized the series that Manitoba’ challenge was built upon timely goaltending by “Little Mike”.

The 1955 Western Canadian Championship was a rematch with the PNE Indians. In the first game, Tymychysm lead Manitoba to a 9-8 victory- handing PNE their first loss in two years. PNE won the second game of the series 13-7. In the third game, Manitoba beat the BC champions 9-6 on the 56 save performance by “Mr. Mike” (Wpg Free Press). At the end of the game the 100 fans carried Mr. Mike out on their shoulders. The short-handed, road weary Winnipeg squad were swept in thee games by the Long Branch Monarchs.

At the end of his career Mike took pride that he never lost a head-to-head match to Ken Williams, the dean of Manitoba’s goalies for 25 years.

CHAMPIONSHIPS AND AWARDS

• PLAYED SIX YEARS SENIOR LACROSSE AS A JUNIOR AGE PLAYER
• 1952 WESTERN CANADIAN JUNIOR CHAMPIONS
• 1954 EASTERN CANADIAN JUNIOR CHAMPIONS
• 1955 WESTERN CANADIAN JUNIOR CHAMPIONS
• “UNOFFICIAL” OUTSTANDING PLAYER IN THE ’55 SERIES
• ONLY MEMBER OF ALL THREE MANITOBA CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS

APPOINTMENT/ POSITIONS

• 2012 Inducted to the Manitoba Lacrosse Hall of Fame as a member of the ’54-’55 teams

2016 Inducted to the Manitoba Sport Hall of Fame as a member of the ’54-’55 teams